Tag Archives: Council District 18

This Tuesday, Election Day, when you go to vote for me (and all the other Green Party candidates on the ballot), don’t forget to turn the ballot over and vote “No” on the proposition question of the call for a constitutional convention. While this may seem like a positive pro-active idea, the process for electing delegates is as subject to money and influence as the election system in general.

Here are some considerations (all with which I agree) that a friend of mine posted recently:

“First, if this proposal were to pass the convention would cost hundreds of millions of dollars including a minimum salary of $79,500 for each of 204 delegates for a total minimum salary cost of $16,218,000.

Second, these delegates would be elected after running for these seats in the ConCon. Corporations and other special interests could spend millions to have their lobbyists elected to the ConCon.

Third, Albany insiders, politicians and their families could double-dip on their salary and pensions. Each delegate would receive pension credit.

Now for what could be affected by a constitutional convention:

although proponents of this proposal say pensions are safe from meddling by these delegates because they are contracts and protected by the US Constitution, if the ConCon nevertheless makes changes to the pension system someone would have to take it to court to declare the change unconstitutional. Pensioners would hope the court sees it their way.

the “forever wild” provision of the NYS Constitution, creating the Adirondack Park, could be changed or abolished.

access to a quality public education is currently guaranteed by the state constitution.

election and voting rights are currently protected in our state constitution.

The last constitutional convention produced proposals for amendments to the state constitution. The voters rejected all of them.

New York State already has a legislative process to amend the state constitution which doesn’t cost the taxpayers anything.

The right to safe, affordable housing is a basic Green Party value. We fully support the efforts of union organizer and activist, Ray Rogers, and his Campaign to Stop REBNY Bullies.

From the campaign website:“The Campaign to Stop REBNY Bullies seeks to end the political dominance of REBNY and its abuse of economic and political power. REBNY’s top policymakers have been described as a cartel of bullies and racketeers and REBNY as one of the worst institutions to ever plague NYC.

The Campaign stands by its claims that corrupt activities by many influential REBNY decision-makers and their companies are at the heart of the lack of affordable housing and homeless crisis, thousands of small businesses shutting down, hyper-gentrification and massive displacement, once vibrant neighborhoods disappearing, increasing construction worker fatalities and the compromising of our political system. Please visit stopREBNYbullies.org and watch the 5-minute animated film ‘BULLIES’.”